Giving a voice to the grassroots

As other reporters thronged the red carpet stretched from the north gate of the Great Hall of the People on Sunday, I followed Rehangul Emir to the east gate, the main entrance, on her way to attend her fifth annual session of the National People's Congress.

I still remember meeting her for the very first time. She was only 24 when she became a national legislator and as a textile factory worker from the south of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, she was shy and obviously nervous while making her first speech. "I was afraid of making mistakes in front of Xinjiang's top officials. Now I am fully aware that as an NPC deputy, I'm equal to the top officials, " she said, smiling.

Aside from a few cursory glances at her striking traditional Uygur clothes, Rehangul drew little attention from the mass of reporters, who seemed more interested in speaking to a minister. Yet it is often deputies such as her, elected by the people and from the grassroots, who know more about ordinary people's wants and needs.